Life, blackjack and beyond.

Rant: Basic Strategy, etc.

April 17, 2016

OK this might get long-winded but here it goes:

Rant #1:

OK playing at Revel in the UltraLounge $100min table. I had just come off a losing session earlier in the day and was beginning to make some headway on coming back.
PLayer at first base dealt a 10,8
Player at second base dealt a K, K
I was at third base and dealt a 10, 2
Dealer had a 3 showing

everybody stayed except me, I hit the 10, 2 and dealt an 8 for a 20
dealer turns over a 10 for a 13 then draws a 6 for a 19

guy at first base shouts at me “You don’t know how to play this game do you? You were not supposed to hit a 12 against a 3”
I responded that he should mind his own business and let everyone play their own game
he chided me saying, once again that I should “learn how to play”
I then asked him if he would like to consult a basic strategy chart and bet me on whether it says a 10,2 is a hit or not against a 3
He did not reply and I chose to leave the table as I felt there were bad vibes all around!

Rant #2:

Playing in Pit 1 at Revel two guys sit down and see I have a basic strategy card in front of me
One of them remarks “uh-oh we are going to be playing with a beginner” and then asks me if I can handle a $25min table
I smiled and wished them good luck
As the shoe progressed and I doubled an 11 versus dealer 10, I was met with derision from the two gentleman, telling me that nobody should ever double an 11 versus a dealer 10 (I did win the double)
Later in the session one of them refused to split 8’s against a 10 (once again telling me I was a beginner and should know better)
He then proceeded as follows on two hands:

he was dealt a 10,8 and dealer had a 9 upcard – he announces that that means the dealer has a 19 and proceeds to hit
of course, the dealer announces “Hitting hard 18” and, yup, he proceeds to get dealt an Ace
he pushed the hand

moments later, he was dealt a 9,9 against a dealer 9
instead of splitting (which he said would make him have two losing hands), he decided that hitting hard 18
was the correct play
of course, he was once again dealt an Ace and pushed the hand
(needless to say, from that point on he kept hitting every hand up to hard 18 whenever the dealer had a 9, 10 or Ace showing) (proceeding to lose lose lose)

I never tell people how to play their hands as it does not matter to me and it is, after all, their money
However, why do people feel the need to make assumptions about me having a basic strategy card and trying to tell me how to play with my money (especially when I am making the right play)

Finally, the pièce de résistance was when one of them told everyone at the table that the dealer’s 2 upcard was the “dealer’s Ace”
Good night and good luck!!!